Clearwater/Indian Shores/St. Petes Beach

Help! I%26#39;m feeling a little overwhelmed. We are planning a trip to FL the first week in April (I know, busy busy time). We are a family of 6 with kids from 9 to 18. We don%26#39;t want a super crowded spot but there needs to be things for the teenagers to do. Would you suggest Clearwater/Indian Shores or St. Petes Beach?

Clearwater/Indian Shores/St. Petes Beach

Clearwater is a very wide, clean beach with amenities like parking and restrooms but a lot of the hotels are old and I think its a little overrated. Indian Rocks is very quiet but it is made up of little rocks instead of sand and can be very uncomfortable to walk\lay on. It is mostly homes and villa rentals along the beach. St Pete beach is better, but it is a very long stretch and there are many areas to choose from. Ft Desoto is beautiful. Baywalk in downtown St Petersburg is a good area for the teenagers to hang in (it is on the opposite side of the city from the beaches though). There are movies, diners, etc. And it is still great for the parents and the younger ones. You will also get more bang for your buck in St Petersburg as opposed to Clearwater. If you have any more questions, I will be happy to answer them - I live in Pinellas Park, which is in between Clearwater and St Pete. My email is johse@tctitle.com. My dad%26#39;s family is in the Custer\Ludington area up there.

Clearwater/Indian Shores/St. Petes Beach

I would go to Clearwater Beach(Holiday Inn Sunspree, Hilton Resort, Quality Inn Beachside Resort). It will be busy, but everyhting is in close proximity on this les than 2 mile long island.(Mini Golf, Pier 60, Pirate Cruise, Fishing Excursions, Sunset and Dolphin Cruises, Aquarium, Restaurants-Post Corner Pizza, Frenchys, Shepards Buffet, etc.) It will be busy, but there will be many families like yourselves.

Quieter by close by is Sand Key(Sheraton Sand Key Resort)- the jolley trolley runs up and down the Clearwater Beach strip, and there is a Gulf Blvd trolley that takes you from Clearwater Beach all the way to Pass-a-Grille Beach along the coast.

Indian Rocks Beach has some great small lodgings and you can use the Beach Trolley to travel up and down the beaches on Gulf Blvd. Check out www.floridasbeach.com for all of the options.

I%26#39;m disagreeing with 6488park about the conditions at Indian Rocks Beach. The beach is not rocks, it%26#39;s sand... same as Clearwater or St. Pete Beach. It is called Indian ';Rocks'; because of the legend of Indians coming to visit a rocky healing spring NEAR the beach on the mainland.

Indian Rocks Beach and Indian Shores are lovely beach vacation towns, smaller and less crowded than Clearwater or St. Pete Beach. But because of their size, St. Pete Beach or Clearwater will probably offer your teens more things to do within walking distance.

I%26#39;m also planning a vacation and considering St. Pete vs Clearwater.

Can anyone recommend condos in each place? I need a 3 bedroom with kitchen that is nice.

Thanks!!!

I also am feeling a little overwhelmed. Started too late to find a 1 or 2 bedroom condo for myself, my teenage daughter and her two friends. I do have a small beach house reserved in Madeira Beach, but I%26#39;m thinking we might be happier at St Petes Beach. Any suggestions?

I actually ended up shifting vacation to Sandestin, Florida. For some reason, it was a much easier trip to plan. Condos are newer and get consistantly good reviews. Wasn%26#39;t happy with what I was coming up with in the Clearwater area.....to me-Clearwater and St. Pete%26#39;s areas seemed just older and not up to date. I was concerned to be in the Indian Rocks/Madeira area and not have enough immediately around us to entertain the kids.

Good luck!

Just ret%26#39;d from Clearwater, stay away. Traffic horrible, quaint hotels from 1950%26#39;s either fenced for demolition or half demolished with curtains blowing in air. Beach was dirty. If you go Sand Key Park (across from Sheraton and Marriott) is still nice.

Only good thing there was Captain Memo%26#39;s pirate cruise.

So much for those who keep insisting that Clearwater has white sand beaches!!! They need their eyes checked.

Sand in Clearwater still white, the dirty was the trash on the beach we found. Thanks!